Union undergarment.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' BENJAMIN GIBBS, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UNION UNDERGARMENT.

Original application filed April 19,1813, Serial No. 762,162. Divided and this application filed July 15, I

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

' 1913. Serialli'o. 779,146.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I BENJAMIN GIBBS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at' Germantown, Philadel hia, county of Phil adelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Union Undergarments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to union undergarments.

This application is a division of Serial No. 762162, filed April 19, 1913.

The present-invention has for its objects, first, the provision in a union under-garment havin an elastic part or belt joining its body and leg portions novel reinforcing means at the back adapted stretching of the elastic part without interfering with the elasticity of said elastic part; and second, to provide-in a union under-garmentfhavmg a split elastic art or belt connectin its body andleg portions :1

double or dup ex flap construction for t e seat, the flaps of which run up to the body and are connected to sections of the split elastic belt, thereby constituting a reinforcement and preventin undue stretching of the elastic portion a oresaid.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by the provision of a union under-garment constructed as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the garment opened out to show the inside'flap; Fig. 2, a rear view thereof; and Fig. 3,, a detail view looking toward the back of the garment with the outer 'flap raised.

The body 1 is made in a single piece and the le s 2 and 3 are each made of one piece. The aps 4 and 5 which form a duplex seat closure are each made of one piece, but preferably of multi-ply construction. The split elastic belt portion is composed of the parts 6 and 7.

As contradistinguished from those union garments having a crotch provided'with flaps one'of which is connected to one leg only, in the present garment the flaps 4' to prevent undueof the garment -and each is stitched to its leg along the seam 10.

'Heretofore, elastic belt portions of union under-garments have extended unbroken across the back of the garment and the elastic part has not been reinforced in any manner or Prevented from-stretching as far as it will yield. In consequence, the elastic belt has, in underwear heretofore known to the art, soon unduly stretched and lost its elasticity. By making the elastic. belt in two parts which are disconnected at the back and running the seam 10 all the way up to the upper seam 11 which joins the elastic belt sections to the body of thegar-. ment and there stitching the upper ends 12' of the flaps 4: and 5 to said seam and stitching the rear ends of the elastic sections 6 and 7 to the flaps, I obtain in my undergarment all the advantages of an elastic belt without interfering with the freedom of the wearer to assume a stooping position and without the possibility of the elastic belt unduly stretching in an up and-down direction, that is, lengthwise of the gar- "ment, and losing, by reason of undue stretching, its elasticity. Furthermore, this construction affords great strength of connection between the legs and the body of the garment and adds to the life thereof by reason of the flaps 4 and 5 being con nected to the body and legs. A further advantage is that the flaps hang almost straight from the waistband of the garment and the normal closing of the posterior part of the garment is insured and a comfortable fit provided at the crotch, besides obviating the necessity for employing any buttoning or, fastening device.

Havin thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A union undergarment having an elasti ally non-elastic upper part attached to the bodyof the garment above the elastic belt thereby substantially preventing .up and down stretching of the elastic belt thereat.

2. A union undergarment having an elastic belt connecting its body and leg portions, a posterior part having an opening, and

overlapping flaps constituting a closure for said opening, both of said flaps having substantially non-elastic, overlapped, upper parts attached to the body of the garment above the elastic belt, thereby substantially preventing up and down stretching of the elastic belt thereat. I Y

3. A union undergarment having body and leg portions, an elastic belt composed of sections-which are connected to and interposed between the body and leg portions and are disconnected at the back, and a closure for the seat of the garment consisting of overlying inelastic flaps whichare,

res 'aectively,v joined at their side edges to the rear ends of the elastic sections and at their upper ends are connected to the body of the garment.

'- 4. A union undergarment having an elastic belt which is split at the back of the garment, and a seat having substantially non-elastic extensions running up across the elastic belt and connected to the body of the garment, thereby substantially preventing up and 'down stretching ofthe elastic belt 'thereat.

5. A .union undergarment having body respectivel and leg portions, an elastic belt composed of sectlons whichlare connected to and interposed between the body and leg portions and are disconnected at the back, and a closure for the seat of the garment consist ing of one-piece overlying flaps which are, joined at their side edges to of the elastic belt sections and are provided with horizontal or square (13)- per ends which are connected to the'b y of the garment above-the elastic belt.

6. A union undergarment having an elasthe rear ends ,tic belt which is split at the back of the garment, and a seat aving extensions running up across the elastic belt and connected to the body of the garment and also connected to the'ends of the elastic belt where the latter is split.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN GIBBS. Witnesses G. ALBERT SMYTH, F. W. SLAUGHTER. 

